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This is usually the cue for Martbowski to go "you're no good, stop doing it", which is the only response anyone gives to any of the threads I've started in the last three months, but I really need advice with this one.

I'm doing a gig on Thursday, and it doesn't look like the headliners are going to bring many in so I've got two local supports. One has pulled out, and every other local band who might fit in that I've approached to replace is either otherwise engaged, or has a gig within a week of mine that they say they think more of their fans would come to so they'll have to decline, or is shit. The headliners have said they'll bring their mates down, but they're nobody you'd have heard of and would add another £50 or so without any more people coming. I've had an offer from one semi-local band, but they say they won't have time to round up anyone who'd be likely to come and see them.

for being prepared to cover the money. An awful lot of so-called promoters will just have the old 'sorry guys, but...' conversation at the end of the night and sidle off into the night. This makes me see red in a major way. So yes, nice one for being responsible!

As for making the night a success, all I can say is book sensible bills in sensible locations, beware of clashes with other nights, do listings, fliering, internet pr and word of mouth as best you can, then sit back and hope!

Not aiming this at you, but every time I mention my various promotion calamities - on one spectacular occasion an opener pulled out by phoning the venue after the soundcheck start time I'd given them, and not through unforseen circumstances either - someone always says "get your promotion sorted, budget, local support, blah" and it's all stuff I've been doing anyway. And still hardly anyone outside my immediate circle of friends comes. WAH.

So all the first band's 'fans' will prolly hate the other bands, and fuck off straight away; the bands will dislike each other and not watch each other; everyone present will have a slightly shitter time.

Plus who is to say the 'fans' of the shit band wouldn't subsequently enjoy the other bands? They could be friends and family who feel they have to turn up out of a sense of obligation, but who generally have a decent taste in music. I've seen The Indelicates live loads of times - I defy anyone not to enjoy them! But if they don't like them, they can just leave. It is not like they are going to throw rotting vegetables at the stage (or perhaps they do in Leicester...).

Anyway, it is a Thursday night. Apart from the punters the first band drag along, most people won't turn up until after they've played anyway.

the indelicates will bring a reasonable number i would have thought. depends how much you've promoted it though.

if the worst comes to the worst, you basically have a choice of:

a) put a shit local band who will bring people on first: rake in the money: don't lose money
b) put a good local band who have another gig lined up on first: accept they can't bring people: rick losing money
c) put a local band on who don't necessarily 'fit' but who you think are good

and having strong local support isn't always a great idea, or at least not like they think it is. if you're putting on a band from out of town who are quite good but won't bring a tonne of people, it is probably better to put them on as a middle band and have the night headlined by a good local band with a strong following who will bring plenty of people, especially because bands work much harder to bring people for a show that they are headlining: i know my band probably does. this means you'll have to spend more on local bands, but you'll probably get a much, much better turnout, and you can get away with using some of that money to subsidise the poor draw of the out of town band. it might mean that you have less to spend on out of town bands. this is a shame. but point out to bands that it massively increases their chances of playing to lots of people and selling lots of merch.

Ramp up the promo over the next few days, go with your instinct on the supports and keep all fingers crossed that Indelicates fans come out in their droves - I'm sure there are lots of them!

I wouldn't put a shit band on, just because well, I wouldn't wish it on people who're down to see headliners you've chosen and presumably like. Bad for your reputation, yo (but then again so's this if any of your main act see it...).

I think I'm overworrying a tad, they should bring people in and I've advertised well (will do so on here later in the week, at which I'd hope you'd forget all this), but I don't want to take chances and end up losing as much money as last time. It's basically coincidence that nearly all the bands I would have gone with are unavailable, usually I'd have plenty in mind and would have got something long sorted by now, as I have with the two gigs after this one. But I have had appalling luck with my promotions - headliners pulling out, double bookings, having to cancel, openers pulling out 48 hours or less in advance (one after the soundcheck time), that sort of thing, and then not having got near 20 people paying on the door yet.

If you think they'll be understanding ask if you can switch the night to a free entry gig in return for a cut of the bar. This is only going to work if by being free more people will actually come obviously.

Do your maths but the cut of the bar could be better than your current financial deficit.